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Feel her breath as the wind blows, hear her song as the dove sings , touch her sacred plants and feel her life giving energy. She is the predator and the prey, she is everything and nothing, she is the mundane and the heavenly body, she is the universal mother, sun and moon, good and evil. She is the sacred Oak tree and the ground in which it grows, she is all loving. Embrace her love and she will show herself to you. She will come to your dreams and remind you of her ancient stories. Worship her, call to her, pray to her. She is great Mother to us all. She is Goddess. )O(

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Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Lughnasadh Crafts

Lughnasadh is the first of three harvest festivals for fall. It is a
time when the first grains and ripe fruits are harvested and thanks is
given for natures bounty. There are many fun crafts to do at this time,
some of which are baking bread and making your own smudge sticks.

Baking bread was an important part of this festival for ancient people
as the bread baked at Lughnasadh, as well as Mabon, would last them
through winter. If you decide to bake bread there are a few magical ways
to spice things up. You can mold your bread into different shapes such
as a Goddess, moon, pentacle, triple Goddess etc. You can chant a few
words or blessing over your bread as your baking it. Corn was also a
popular harvest crop so feel free to make corn bread or any other type
of flavored bread such as cinnamon. Place your bread on your Lughnasadh
altar as an offering or serve it with your Lughnasadh dinner.

Smudge sticks are easy and fun to make. Even though you can buy them
pre-made, I like to make my own magical tools whenever possible. Cut
herbs from your garden or go wild-crafting. If neither of those options
are available to you, try your local farmers market or grocery store. What you will need for this project:

Scissors or clippers

String cut about four or five feet long

Cut herbs such as sage, mugwort, rosemary, lavender, etc.

Cut your herb stalks about six to ten inches long and gather them so the
cut ends are together. Wind the string tightly around the stem of the
bundle leaving a few inches of hanging string (you will need this
later). Continue wrapping tightly around the stem of the bundle then
gradually work your way up to the leafy section until you reach the end.
Now go back down with your string wrapping the bundle the opposite way
creating a criss cross pattern. Once you reach the end where the stem
is, tie the remaining string with the extra two inches you left at the
stem.

Once you are finished, cut off any loose leafy ends sticking out through
the string so the smudge stick looks smooth. Now you may hang your
smudge stick up to dry. It can take up to a week for
your smudge stick to completely dry. Once they are dry they are ready to
be ritually burned! You can also bless them at your altar to further
empower them with your own energies.

Enjoy baking your bread and crafting your very own smudge sticks!Photo courtesy of Live In Art

I am the beauty of the Earth, the green of growing things. I am the white Moon whose light is full among the stars and soft upon the Earth. From Me all things are born, to Me all things, in their seasons return. Let My worship be in your hearts, for all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.